Looking forward to this series to start. Good luck to the Sox, and may the best team win!

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/mlb/teams/1/80x60/hou.gif

cheeses_h_rice

10-20-2005, 03:16 PM

So long as it isn't the Astros...

:thumbsup:

Baby Fisk

10-20-2005, 03:17 PM

:welcome: Good luck (but not too much).

32nd&Wallace

10-20-2005, 03:19 PM

yes, there's a lot to look forward to - except all the space references the media will overuse in the next week.

IronFisk

10-20-2005, 03:20 PM

Yeah, what they said. Thanks for the sentiment however, we are both long-suffering fandoms.

hose

10-20-2005, 03:57 PM

Looking forward to this series to start. Good luck to the Sox, and may the best team win!

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/mlb/teams/1/80x60/hou.gif

Congrats to the Astros for coming back from 15 under and winning the pennant.

(Nellie was a Colt 45 and Astro)

Killer-Beees

10-20-2005, 04:21 PM

Congrats to the Astros for coming back from 15 under and winning the pennant.

(Nellie was a Colt 45 and Astro)

Thanks man. I had faith all year as long as our pitchers stayed healthy. I watched, listened to or followed internet scores on at least 140 of 162 games this year.

This match-up should provide fans of the game of baseball with a great series.

na_na_na_na

10-20-2005, 04:25 PM

You guys have a nice team but I gotta say the whole Killer Bee is getting way to much press. I also hope our fans stay away from obvious "Houston we have a problem" references.

cheeses_h_rice

10-20-2005, 04:28 PM

You guys have a nice team but I gotta say the whole Killer Bee is getting way to much press. I also hope our fans stay away from obvious "Houston we have a problem" references.

Get ready for the "Could this be Roger Clemens' last game ever" watch, too.

Killer-Beees

10-20-2005, 04:31 PM

Get ready for the "Could this be Roger Clemens' last game ever" watch, too.

Just as long as I don't have to watch that Pull-Hose HR again. I was there that game and it was a stiff kick in the gut. I almost chunked a lung over that.

Goose

10-20-2005, 04:53 PM

Just as long as I don't have to watch that Pull-Hose HR again. I was there that game and it was a stiff kick in the gut. I almost chunked a lung over that.

Careful what you say about "Hose" here, buddy! :D:

Ventura Fan 23

10-20-2005, 05:45 PM

The Clemens vs. Contrearas matchup will certainly be one for the history books.

Jjav829

10-20-2005, 05:51 PM

Hello and welcome aboard! :D:

Congrats on the Astros great season. Coming back the way they did to get to the World Series is remarkable. It's good to see Biggio and Bagwell get to a World Series. It's too bad they had to do it the same year as the Sox. I would have rooted for them if we didn't make it.

Jjav829

10-20-2005, 05:53 PM

You guys have a nice team but I gotta say the whole Killer Bee is getting way to much press. I also hope our fans stay away from obvious "Houston we have a problem" references.

It was all over yesterday. I completely agree with you. If anyone here is planning on bringing a sign, make it a little more creative than "Houston, you have a problem." :rolleyes:

Jjav829

10-20-2005, 05:56 PM

Just as long as I don't have to watch that Pull-Hose HR again. I was there that game and it was a stiff kick in the gut. I almost chunked a lung over that.

As long as you're here, maybe you can shed a little light on something for WSI. In your opinion, just how effective can Jeff Bagwell be in this series? Sox hitting aside, and with Bagwell's shoulder as it is, what can he really do? I believe the problem with Bagwell has been his ability to play the field, thus limiting to pinch hit duty since he returned. Can he handle 4 at-bats as a DH? You've seen a lot more of the Astros this year than any of us have, so you have more to base your opinion off than the rest of us.

Palehose13

10-20-2005, 06:03 PM

Hello and welcome aboard! :D:

Congrats on the Astros great season. Coming back the way they did to get to the World Series is remarkable. It's good to see Biggio and Bagwell get to a World Series. It's too bad they had to do it the same year as the Sox. I would have rooted for them if we didn't make it.

Ditto.

Killer-Beees

10-20-2005, 06:12 PM

As long as you're here, maybe you can shed a little light on something for WSI. In your opinion, just how effective can Jeff Bagwell be in this series? Sox hitting aside, and with Bagwell's shoulder as it is, what can he really do? I believe the problem with Bagwell has been his ability to play the field, thus limiting to pinch hit duty since he returned. Can he handle 4 at-bats as a DH? You've seen a lot more of the Astros this year than any of us have, so you have more to base your opinion off than the rest of us.

I think Baggs days on the field playing defense are over for his career. I watched many a game and he couldn't even throw warm up grounders to the infielders, which was a sad sight to see.

There's been much talk as to if he will play in the DH roll at your park. IMO Garner would have given him 1 at bat in the last game of the NLCS if he was able to go physically.

Hate to say it, but I think he may not see a WS at bat, which will be sad. Maybe Garner just saved his shoulder for the WS DH....we shall see.

MarySwiss

10-20-2005, 06:44 PM

Looking forward to this series to start. Good luck to the Sox, and may the best team win!

http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/mlb/teams/1/80x60/hou.gif

Thanks, we hope to! :cool:

And :welcome:

Killer, sorry to rain on your parade, but this IS a totally biased Sox fans site, after all. And FWIW, I would absolutely be rooting for you guys if you had picked any other year. But unfortunately, you picked this one!

Anyway, this promises to be a great series. I'd wish you good luck, but this IS a totally-biased....

Orta 4-6-3

10-20-2005, 06:46 PM

I think Baggs days on the field playing defense are over for his career. I watched many a game and he couldn't even throw warm up grounders to the infielders, which was a sad sight to see.

There's been much talk as to if he will play in the DH roll at your park. IMO Garner would have given him 1 at bat in the last game of the NLCS if he was able to go physically.

Hate to say it, but I think he may not see a WS at bat, which will be sad. Maybe Garner just saved his shoulder for the WS DH....we shall see.

Would like to see him get a chance to play --- just so he doesn't pull a Kirk Gibson. :smile:

STROSFAN

10-20-2005, 07:01 PM

Yes, Im a TROLL from Houston.....but I enjoy talking baseball with my team's foes. It really looks like it will be an interesting WS. Good pitching from both teams and we both have mediocre bats. Anyway, looking to here from you boys up north. Lets get this started.

PS. I cant really hate your team, I had Scott Podsednik on my fantasy team this year. He was money.

Norberto7

10-20-2005, 07:20 PM

Now, I'm all for being polite and courteous, but gosh, this guy's getting a love fest! :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

I'm going to have to balance things out here.

Astros suck. Houston, I have a problem...your fans are being too warmly welcomed. You don't "Bee"long in the World Series. If it wasn't for the Wild Card, you guys would be at home. Clemens is done. Bagwell is off the juice, he's done too. Biggio's helmet is too big for his head. Crede sucks, Konerko runs his mouth too much, and why is Marte still on this roster!?

There, that's better, maybe that'll give this thread some hair and break up this lovefest.

(teal whole post)

SoxFan76

10-20-2005, 07:27 PM

Dude, we're going to the World Series!!!!!!!! :D:

Ahem, sometimes I forget. I had to remind myself that I'm not dreaming. :cool:

Killer-Beees

10-20-2005, 07:31 PM

Now, I'm all for being polite and courteous, but gosh, this guy's getting a love fest! :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

I'm going to have to balance things out here.

Astros suck. Houston, I have a problem...your fans are being too warmly welcomed. You don't "Bee"long in the World Series. If it wasn't for the Wild Card, you guys would be at home. Clemens is done. Bagwell is off the juice, he's done too. Biggio's helmet is too big for his head. Crede sucks, Konerko runs his mouth too much, and why is Marte still on this roster!?

There, that's better, maybe that'll give this thread some hair and break up this lovefest.

(teal whole post)

Wow you are a passionate fan of the Sox...Hope you feel better now as well since you just dropped a load of bricks off that chest of yours. Good luck to your team bro.

BNLSox

10-20-2005, 07:32 PM

Everyone knows that if the Cardinals hadn't exhausted themselves in their first series with the the Padres the Astros wouldnt have stood a chance.

As I said before the Red Sox series. May the best team win, and if they don't, congrats Houston.

We already took out one wildcard, time to finish off the other.

elrod

10-20-2005, 07:34 PM

Welcome Killer Bee! I pulled for the Astros in every post-season except 1986 (I'm also a Met fan). I still remember John Rocker shutting the Stros down with bases loaded and nobody out in the 10th inning in the 1999 NLDS. That was painful. And unlike our annoying neighbors to the North, at least Astro fans don't make excuses about curses and all. Also, my last name is Astor and if you switch two letters around, you get Astro. I always that was kinda cool...

Everybody predicts a close, low-scoring series. Watch, the first two games will be 9-8 with 6 errors and 4 home runs from Scott Podsednik and Adam Everett.

Killer-Beees

10-20-2005, 07:37 PM

Hummm...so let's assume that there was no WC in baseball. How would you handle the playoffs and adjust the divisions equally. Remember there is 3 divisions in each league. One teams just sits and waits while the other two division winners battle it out.

Like to hear your thoughts on this subject with 28 teams.

elrod

10-20-2005, 07:39 PM

Hummm...so let's assume that there was no WC in baseball. How would you handle the playoffs and adjust the divisions equally. Remember there is 3 divisions in each league. One teams just sits and waits while the other two division winners battle it out.

Like to hear your thoughts on this subject with 28 teams.

I think he was kidding. The "teal" reference on the bottom of his post is a WSI protocol for sarcasm. If you're being sarcastic, you're supposed to use the color teal.

Killer-Beees

10-20-2005, 07:43 PM

I think he was kidding. The "teal" reference on the bottom of his post is a WSI protocol for sarcasm. If you're being sarcastic, you're supposed to use the color teal.

Ahhh I see...thanks...This forum has very nice tools, I find a new one everytime I turn around.

Good work Admins

elrod

10-20-2005, 08:17 PM

Ahhh I see...thanks...This forum has very nice tools, I find a new one everytime I turn around.

Good work Admins

On a more substantive note, what's going on with Morgan Ensberg. He had 36 home runs this year but he looks lost at the plate. I heard he got hit by a pitch in September and his power numbers dropped since then. Is that true? The Houston lineup is very dangerous if Ensberg can back up Berkman. Especially if Biggio is getting on base.

MiamiSpartan

10-20-2005, 08:25 PM

I can honestly say that if the Astros were not playing the White Sox, I would be pulling for them to win....But they are, so GO GO SOX!

Killer-Beees

10-20-2005, 08:25 PM

On a more substantive note, what's going on with Morgan Ensberg. He had 36 home runs this year but he looks lost at the plate. I heard he got hit by a pitch in September and his power numbers dropped since then. Is that true? The Houston lineup is very dangerous if Ensberg can back up Berkman. Especially if Biggio is getting on base.

I don't know what happened to Mo, but I hope he lights it up this series. He started showing showing signs of a bounce back in the NLCS, .256 ave which isn't that impressive, but he did hit the ball hard a few times. They were just hit at someone a couple of times.

Against your team, Mo, Willie T and Bige have got to start hitting the ball or this ends quickly.

Daver

10-20-2005, 08:36 PM

Hummm...so let's assume that there was no WC in baseball. How would you handle the playoffs and adjust the divisions equally. Remember there is 3 divisions in each league. One teams just sits and waits while the other two division winners battle it out.

Like to hear your thoughts on this subject with 28 teams.

Get rid of the divisions.

There is an AL and an NL, winner take all.

elrod

10-20-2005, 08:52 PM

I don't know what happened to Mo, but I hope he lights it up this series. He started showing showing signs of a bounce back in the NLCS, .256 ave which isn't that impressive, but he did hit the ball hard a few times. They were just hit at someone a couple of times.

Against your team, Mo, Willie T and Bige have got to start hitting the ball or this ends quickly.

Tavarez and Biggio are key because they are table setters. The same goes for Pods and Iguchi on our end. Podsednik has been amazing this post-season. Iguchi, other than his HUGE 3-run bomb off David Wells in the ALDS, has been a disappointment. If Taverez gets on, he can steal all day against Contreras. But how well will a rookie do against that splitter? This is the Contreras of Cuban fame, not of Yankee disappointment. JC can still hang a splitter now and then; Garrett Anderson parked one in Game One of the ALCS. I suppose the same goes for Clemens. Both are splitter pitchers now, with fastballs in the mid-90s. Clemens has a better two-seemer to mix in, but JC's splitter (actually a forkball because it's so far down in the fingers) is the best in the game.

So you know nothing of an injurious HBP to Ensberg? His avg. did go up in the NLCS, but he didn't have any real power. A hidden injury in the middle of the lineup can really hurt. See Vlad Guerrero. If I'm Garner, I move up Christ Burke and Mike Lamb to hit around Berkman, and let Ensburg threaten from the 7 hole. Sometimes that helps to get a hitter out of a funk.

Killer-Beees

10-20-2005, 09:00 PM

So you know nothing of an injurious HBP to Ensberg? His avg. did go up in the NLCS, but he didn't have any real power. A hidden injury in the middle of the lineup can really hurt. See Vlad Guerrero. If I'm Garner, I move up Christ Burke and Mike Lamb to hit around Berkman, and let Ensburg threaten from the 7 hole. Sometimes that helps to get a hitter out of a funk.

I haven't seen anything in Mo's swing to indicate any hidden injuries. Of course there could be some psychology in play with his at bats after getting hit by that ball (doubt it though). I just hope Asmus stays hot because he's had a great post season. Lane is also knocking the ball around pretty good, but is prone to strike out. He need to be more patient at the plate.

SoxFan76

10-20-2005, 09:04 PM

What's the story with Lane? Being a Sox fan, I don't see or hear too much NL ball. I hear this is his breakout season?

Killer-Beees

10-20-2005, 09:11 PM

What's the story with Lane? Being a Sox fan, I don't see or hear too much NL ball. I hear this is his breakout season?

Lane was drafted in the 6th round by the Stros in 1999, and saw little action until last year with 100 or so AB's. So I guess this year is a true breakout year for Jason with 500+ Ab's. I think he is one of our future power hitters. Seems to really have a good head on his shoulders to boot.

elrod

10-20-2005, 09:12 PM

Lane hit 26 home runs, but had a pedestrian .267 average. Ausmus had a great game yesterday. Ensberg's playoff OPS is second-lowest on the team among regulars (light-hitting Adam Everett had a lower one). That's our problem with Carl Everett and, to lesser extent, Jermaine Dye.

Ol' No. 2

10-20-2005, 09:21 PM

Tavarez and Biggio are key because they are table setters. The same goes for Pods and Iguchi on our end. Podsednik has been amazing this post-season. Iguchi, other than his HUGE 3-run bomb off David Wells in the ALDS, has been a disappointment. If Taverez gets on, he can steal all day against Contreras. But how well will a rookie do against that splitter? This is the Contreras of Cuban fame, not of Yankee disappointment. JC can still hang a splitter now and then; Garrett Anderson parked one in Game One of the ALCS. I suppose the same goes for Clemens. Both are splitter pitchers now, with fastballs in the mid-90s. Clemens has a better two-seemer to mix in, but JC's splitter (actually a forkball because it's so far down in the fingers) is the best in the game.

So you know nothing of an injurious HBP to Ensberg? His avg. did go up in the NLCS, but he didn't have any real power. A hidden injury in the middle of the lineup can really hurt. See Vlad Guerrero. If I'm Garner, I move up Christ Burke and Mike Lamb to hit around Berkman, and let Ensburg threaten from the 7 hole. Sometimes that helps to get a hitter out of a funk.I think you put your finger on the key for both teams. The Sox have been enormously succcessful in keeping the table-setters off the bases in both series. Solo HR don't really hurt you much, and the Astros don't have nearly the power the Red Sox had. If they can continue to do the same with Biggio and Tavarez, it's over. The Stros' strategy has to be the same. Keep the top of the order off the bases.

MRKARNO

10-20-2005, 09:53 PM

I think you put your finger on the key for both teams. The Sox have been enormously succcessful in keeping the table-setters off the bases in both series. Solo HR don't really hurt you much, and the Astros don't have nearly the power the Red Sox had. If they can continue to do the same with Biggio and Tavarez, it's over. The Stros' strategy has to be the same. Keep the top of the order off the bases.

I would say that the key is keeping Biggio and Berkman in check. With the Red Sox, we kept Damon in check and that helped us a lot. We kept Ortiz in check for the most part, except for a few isolated moments. His first inning K's in games 1 and 2 were huge as far as momentum goes. His OPS was 1.000, but he had a single RBI. In the Angels series, we kept Figgins and Vladdy under control and we dominated their offense. In this series, it's Biggo and Berkman. If we can keep Damon and Ortiz in relative control, I think we can do the same to that pair. If you keep a teams leadoff man and main power source under control, you're forcing the rest of their offense to step it up big time and that's not always doable for lighter-hitting teams like Houston.

Ol' No. 2

10-20-2005, 09:57 PM

I would say that the key is keeping Biggio and Berkman in check. With the Red Sox, we kept Damon in check and that helped us a lot. We kept Ortiz in check for the most part, except for a few isolated moments. His first inning K's in games 1 and 2 were huge as far as momentum goes. His OPS was 1.000, but he had a single RBI. In the Angels series, we kept Figgins and Vladdy under control and we dominated their offense. In this series, it's Biggo and Berkman. If we can keep Damon and Ortiz in relative control, I think we can do the same to that pair. If you keep a teams leadoff man and main power source under control, you're forcing the rest of their offense to step it up big time and that's not always doable for lighter-hitting teams like Houston.But Ortiz and Ramirez went wild in the third game (I'm pretty sure Berman wet himself) and it did them no good. Berkman can whack all the solo HR he wants - he won't beat you that way. I still believe if they keep the bases empty when the big bats are up, they can't lose.

samram

10-20-2005, 10:24 PM

But Ortiz and Ramirez went wild in the third game (I'm pretty sure Berman wet himself) and it did them no good. Berkman can whack all the solo HR he wants - he won't beat you that way. I still believe if they keep the bases empty when the big bats are up, they can't lose.

Yeah, you've got it nailed down. The key to the Anaheim series was not allowing Figgins to be a factor on the basepaths. Their getting Vlad out consistently was just a bonus- they had some amount of margin for error because he batted with the bases empty most of the time.

Very few playoff series are won because the third and fourth hitters hit a bunch of solo homeruns- they're won when those hitters are hitting two and three-run homers because the one and two guys are on base. The Sox have hit a bunch of homers like that and look where they're at.

elrod

10-20-2005, 11:25 PM

Berkman is not really a pure HR hitter like Ortiz. He's more of a doubles hitter and he's mastered the Crawford boxes at Minute Maid. The biggest HR hitter this year for Houston was Morgan Ensberg, though Berkman's early injury kept his overall HR number down. That said, every Astro can go deep at any point. Just like with us (even Pods did it in the ALDS:))

Killer-Beees

10-20-2005, 11:29 PM

Berkman is not really a pure HR hitter like Ortiz. He's more of a doubles hitter and he's mastered the Crawford boxes at Minute Maid. The biggest HR hitter this year for Houston was Morgan Ensberg, though Berkman's early injury kept his overall HR number down. That said, every Astro can go deep at any point. Just like with us (even Pods did it in the ALDS:))

Lane & Lamb can surely hit it deep but very spotty on when it happens. I'm thinking Lamb will be the main DH in this series for us.

I always look forward to seeing AL pitchers having to bat...makes for some humorous attempts at swinging.

elrod

10-20-2005, 11:36 PM

Lane & Lamb can surely hit it deep but very spotty on when it happens. I'm thinking Lamb will be the main DH in this series for us.

I always look forward to seeing AL pitchers having to bat...makes for some humorous attempts at swinging.

Put Ensberg in the 7 hole to relieve the pressure on him. Lamb, the former Ranger, is one of the only guys to ever face Buehrle, Garland or Garcia.

elrod

10-21-2005, 12:07 AM

Off topic, I noticed this oddity today. Of the 25 players on the Houston Astro WS roster, only 6 are non-Anglos: Astacio (mop-up P), W. Rodriguez (5th starter and mop-up P), Raul Chavez (backup C), Willy Tavarez (CF) and Orlando Palmeiro (OF, actually born in Hoboken, NJ, though he is Latino). No African Americans. And only Tavarez is a regular.

By contrast, 12 of the White Sox' 25 are non-Anglos (excluding Big Frank because he's not on the WS roster), including one from Japan, 3 African Americans, and 8 Latinos.

I'm not sure how average the ethnic makeup of the White Sox is. We have Ozzie Guillen as manager (and Kenny Williams as GM) so that might attract non-Anglos. But in this day and age, how many teams have only 6 non-Anglo players on them? I'm not trying to imply anything devious or malicious here. Seriously. But it is quite odd how "white" the Astros are.